Worcester city manager hits managerial stride

For a person who came to City Hall with no municipal management experience, City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. has proven to be a quick learner.

In the 5½ months he has served as Worcester's chief executive, he has grown into the job and really hit his stride as a take-charge leader, while winning the respect of many in the city, including some of his early critics.

That was never more evident than last Monday night, when Mr. Augustus walked into a proverbial lion's den — a public hearing on proposed traffic pattern changes and modifications in the Tatnuck Square area.

Of the 125 people who filled the amphitheater at Worcester State University, many were loaded for bear over the process used for the project.

In particular, they were most upset that the project had been put out to bid and a contract was awarded for it — prior to Mr. Augustus becoming city manager — even before a public hearing was held on it.

But the crowd did not fluster Mr. Augustus, nor did he enter the amphitheater with the look of a deer in the headlights.

Instead of going on the defensive or being combative, Mr. Augustus took charge, and in a most unusual move, opened the hearing by apologizing for what happened.

"No doubt this could have and should have been handled better," he said. "I am acknowledging up front that we could have and should have handled this differently. We are here now, though, and we have to move forward."

The manager then went on to outline many of the changes that were recently made to the project in response to issues raised by Tatnuck-area residents and business owners.

"We did hear a lot of your concerns and we tried to take them into account with these changes," he said. "We heard you loud and clear."

When all was said and done, most of those at the hearing felt a lot more comfortable about the project than they did before.

Sam Rosario, a former member of the Planning Board who is never shy about calling out a city official when he feels it is appropriate, told Mr. Augustus how much he and others appreciated what he had to say.

He said he had never seen a city manager be so open and frank with the public over the way a project was handled.

And many in the audience showed their appreciation for Mr. Augustus as well when they applauded what Mr. Rosario had to say.

Former District 5 City Councilor Wayne Griffin, another pull-no-punches critic of City Hall, also applauded Mr. Augustus, saying "he brought a lot of goodwill" to the hearing with what he had to say.

Even Paul Gunnerson, president of the Tatnuck Neighborhood Association and perhaps the most vocal opponent of the Tatnuck Square project, expressed his appreciation with the manager's apology.

He also pointed out that Mr. Augustus took the time to attend a meeting of his neighborhood group last month, at which time many of its members voiced concerns about the project.

"He came to listen to us after we couldn't get a public hearing on this project," Mr. Gunnerson said. "We tried to get some other people to come to our meetings before, but they wouldn't come even if we sent a limo to pick them up."

Indeed, Mr. Augustus turned what could have been a volatile public hearing into a pretty positive one.

Of course, Mr. Augustus has some experience in dealing with tough neighborhood crowds.

In his position as director of government and community relations at the College of the Holy Cross — a job he held before becoming city manager and one that he will be returning to when his contract expires — Mr. Augustus worked with the College Hill residents when off-campus parties became a big problem there. And that had to be a challenge to say the least.

His work on the fiscal 2015 municipal budget also cannot be overlooked.

With his $575 million spending plan, Mr. Augustus was able to maintain the current level of municipal services, provide a modest increase in funding for the public schools, though 44 teaching positions will still be eliminated, and avoid tapping into the city's $10 million tax-levy reserve.

The City Council approved Mr. Augustus' budget proposal Tuesday night; not only was it by a unanimous vote, but the council approved it without making any cuts or changes to it.

It wasn't a perfect budget — no such spending plan exists — but he did his best to address priorities in the city with the money that was available.

"This was perhaps the least contentious budget season I've seen in years," said Councilor-at-Large Konstantina B. Lukes.

Mr. Augustus has also shown a grasp of a variety of other issues, whether it be parking issues in the neighborhoods around Worcester State University, economic development matters, zoning issues or the need to better market the city.

One thing that has made Mr. Augustus so successful is that he kept many of the people who worked for his predecessor, Michael V. O'Brien, in the city administration.

At the recent annual meeting of The Research Bureau, Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash said he felt organizational management skills are perhaps the most important quality for a successful city manager.

"(A city manager) needs to have a team that works with you," Mr. Ash said. "A manager has to be able to get the right team together and then lead that team. In my opinion, the most effective city manager is one who gets it organizationally."

Mr. Augustus is apparently one who "gets it" organizationally because he saw the talent that Mr. O'Brien had put together in his administration and kept them in their jobs.

With Mr. Augustus seemingly hitting his stride as city manager, you have to wonder how city councilors feel about the fact that he will only be around for just another 3½ months or so.

While some city councilors tried earlier this year to get Mr. Augustus to change his mind about leaving City Hall when his contract expires, he made it clear that his mind had been made up.

But as one person in the audience at Monday night's public hearing put it: "Why are they looking for a new city manager when they already have the right person?"

You can bet that more than a few city councilors are asking that as well.

Contact Nick Kotsopoulos at nicholas.kotsopoulos@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @NCKotsopoulos